Samantha (Sammy) Merritt is a child therapist
who uses her “Feelings Detective,” laughter,
and storytelling Superpowers
to help Calgary kids laugh
and grow their own Superpower strengths.
Sammy’s Superhero Story
Attention Parents
Before your first session, you can share this story
with your child. You can also scroll below
to read about Sammy’s
child psychologist expertise and experience
in her professional bio.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Samantha. Everyone called her Sammy. This is her Superpower story and she wants to share it with you. It’s about figuring out mysteries, laughing, and exploring your story.
Sammy loved stories, from people, movies, books, and even songs. They helped her learn and figure things out and made her laugh. Sammy had a lovely laugh and loved making her friends laugh. What a fun Superpower to share!
One of her favourite things was playing games, solving mysteries, and finding out stuff. That’s why she wanted to be a “Feelings Detective” when she grew up.
The grown-ups around her told Sammy that she was a fairy princess. They said that princesses wear pink dresses, tutus, and sparkly shoes.
- Sammy liked wearing fairy princess dresses, tutus, and sparkly shoes.
- She liked reading and playing quietly indoors sometimes.
- She liked pretty dresses, but her favourite colour was teal, not pink.
- She liked quiet games, but she also liked to climb trees and travel and take photos and explore the world.
- She liked exploring things she could see with her eyes (like rocks and stars and butterflies) and things she could not (like ideas, stories, and the meanings of feelings).
- She wanted to explore but she thought pretty clothes weren’t allowed to get muddy and mucky.
Sammy thought carefully. What was she to do?
She reflected really hard with her mind and heart —as “Feelings Detectives” detectives do—
until she knew!
Fairy princesses can wear pink dresses —
AND they can ALSO wear other clothes or colours too!
Astronaut jackets, t-shirts, overalls, lab coats, hard hats,
jeans, heels, or rain boots that are teal.
Princesses can be strong, scientific, AND super cute.
So sometimes Sammy wore a fairy princess dress and played indoors. And sometimes, she explored the world outside—birds, ladybugs, rainy clouds, rocks. On rainy exploring days, she took her teal umbrella. She wore jeans, a teal t-shirt, and teal rain boots to play in the mud. How she loved splashing on puddles with zeal!
When Sammy grew up, she became a Registered Psychologist (a grown-up word for “Feelings Detective”). She works at Kids Reconnect, where she uses her Superpowers to help kids figure out mysteries, like why is this going on for you, how can we help you feel better, or why you are having those tricky feelings. Her favourite part about being a psychologist is making kids laugh.
Click on Sammy’s teal rain boots to splash on the puddle
Samantha’s Professional Bio
As individuals and in relationships, we tell stories about ourselves and others. As we interpret our experiences and our relationships through these stories, these stories can become a core part of our identity.
You may find these stories don’t fit well for you anymore and, as the expert in your own life, you may feel like you need to pursue change. Together we can explore how experiences and challenges have impacted you and/or your children, identify your strengths and values, and work together to write new stories that help you have the relationships you want to have and live the life you want to lead. I invite couples and families to join me in exploring what is happening between you and develop ways of communicating and interacting that serve you all well. As a child therapist, I can work with all family members in helping each other through challenging times and strengthening your relationships.
I am a Registered Psychologist and I hold a Master of Science in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary. In my counselling work, I use a narrative therapy lens, while drawing on cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal, and play-based interventions. I am a certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and have experience providing counselling to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I am passionate about working collaboratively with people of all ages to create stories you can live out that align with your strengths, values, hopes, and goals.
